Drainage system with retention ring

ABSTRACT

In one general aspect, the present disclosure provides a drainage system. The drainage system may include a container having an interior and a mouth, the mouth having an outer surface and an opening. A frangible seal may cover the opening. A cap may be secured to the mouth, and the cap may be in fluid communication with a drainage line. The cap may have an inner surface for engaging with the outer surface of the mouth. The drainage system may further include a retention ring with a collar having an inner surface configured to engage an outer surface of the cap, where the retention ring includes a bead for at least partially concentrating a restriction force provided by the retention ring on an adjacent area of the outer surface of the cap.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of medical devices and, inparticular, to a device useful for withdrawing and containing fluidsfrom a patient body.

BACKGROUND

Body fluids may need to be withdrawn from a patient in the course ofmedical treatment. Two common medical procedures requiring fluid removalare thoracentesis and paracentesis.

In paracentesis, peritoneal fluid is aspirated from the abdomen. Typicalpatients have tense ascites resulting from liver disease and portalhypertension, which may cause discomfort, respiratory distress, and theformation and rupture of umbilical hernias. Paracentesis has beenobserved to provide quick and effective relief with few adverse sideeffects. Other treatment options, such as the use of diuretics, areavailable, but may not provide as effective relief as paracentesis.Additionally, many patients with ascites have renal impairment andcannot use the high doses of diuretics necessary to effectively treatthe ascites. See “Large-Volume Paracentesis in Nonedematous Patientswith Tense-Ascites: Its Effect on Intravascular Volume,” Pinto et al.,Hepatology, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 207-210, 1988. Relatively large volumesof fluid, such as five liters, may be withdrawn from a patient duringone paracentesis procedure.

Many existing devices are capable of performing paracentesis. At itssimplest, a paracentesis device need only include a hollow needle withone end inserted into the patient and the other end attached to anegative pressure device, such as a syringe or vacuum bottle. However,more specialized devices have been developed to allow safer, morecomfortable, and more sanitary paracentesis. These devices may allow forbody fluid to be dispensed into at least two containers, so that onecontainer may be filled with fluid for diagnostic purposes and the othercontainer may be filled with waste fluid. Another development has beenthe use of Kuss or Verres type needle assemblies, where a blunt drainageneedle is attached to a retractile sharp introducer needle. This reducesthe likelihood of the sharp needle damaging internal tissue duringparacentesis. A further development is to drain body fluid through ablunt-tipped catheter introduced by a sharp introducing needle, whichallows the sharp needle to be removed from the patient after arelatively quick introduction process and avoids the prolonged presenceof a sharp needle in the body of the patient.

Problems may arise when drainage is diverted from one container toanother if the drainage system is not airtight. Air could contaminate asample or enter the body of the patient and cause injury. Known devicesthat are meant to be airtight have tubes and multiple containersattached to the devices which make the devices cumbersome and somewhatdifficult to insert into the patient. Also, known devices requiremanipulation of a manual valve, such as a stopcock to work effectively.If the stopcock is not set at the proper setting, the device may admitair into the patient or otherwise malfunction. Problems also may arisein devices which allow a needle assembly to be withdrawn. Air must beprevented from entering the patient when the fluid is withdrawn. Also,body fluid must be prevented from leaking out of the device through thespace formerly occupied by the needle assembly.

Thoracentesis is a procedure similar to paracentesis, except thateffusion fluid is withdrawn from the pleural region instead of theabdomen. Normally, the pleural space contains approximately 5 to 20 mlof fluid. The fluid is the result of the hydrostatic-oncotic pressure ofthe capillaries of the parietal pleura. The turnover of the fluid in thepleural space is normally quite rapid, so that approximately 0.5 to 5liters (e.g., 1 to 2 liters) of fluid move through the pleural spaceeach day. A disruption in the balance between the movement of fluid intothe pleural space and the movement of fluid out of the pleural space mayproduce excessive fluid accumulation in the pleural space. Pleuraleffusion is particularly common in patients with disseminated breastcancer, lung cancer or lymphatic cancer and patients with congestiveheart failure, but also occurs in patients with many other forms ofmalignancy.

Pleural effusion may cause dyspnea, coughing, and chest pain, whichdiminish a patient's quality of life. Although pleural effusiontypically occurs toward the end of terminal malignancies, such as breastcancer, it occurs earlier in other diseases. Therefore, relieving theclinical manifestations of pleural effusion is for real and extendedadvantage to the patient. For example, non-breast cancer patients withpleural effusion have been known to survive for years. See “PleuralEffusion in Cancer Patients,” Izbicki et al., Cancer, October 1975, p.1511.

There are several treatments for pleural effusion. If the patient isasymptomatic and the effusion is known to be malignant or paramalignant,no treatment may be required. Pleurectomy and pleural abrasion aregenerally effective in obliterating the pleural space, thus controllingthe malignant pleural effusion. However, pleurectomy is a major surgicalprocedure associated with substantial morbidity and some mortality.Chemotherapy is generally disappointing; however, it may produce goodresponses for patients with lymphoma, breast cancer, or small-cellcarcinoma. Another approach is to surgically implant a chest tube.However, such a tube is painful to the patient, both when it is insertedand during the time that it remains in the pleural space. Improvementson the traditional chest tube are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,401.

Despite other treatment options, thoracentesis remains the most commonapproach to removing pleural fluid. However, thoracentesis poses thedanger of causing pneumothorax, a collapsed lung. Pneumothorax can becaused directly by puncturing a lung with a needle assembly or cathetertip or indirectly by allowing air to enter the pleural space. Normally,the pleural space is at negative pressure relative to the atmosphere,which helps keep the lungs expanded. If the atmosphere is allowed tocommunicate with the pleural space, the pleural space may no longer beat negative pressure and pneumothorax may result.

Thoracentesis devices have been developed to reduce the risk ofpneumothorax and other similar problems that may result from theprocedure. In general, these devices incorporate similar protections asdo paracentesis devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,235 by Clarkediscloses a thoracentesis device with a catheter introduced by aremovable needle assembly, with a valve that closes upon removal of theneedle assembly. The purpose of the valve is to prevent air fromentering the body of the patient. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,784,156, 4,832,044,4,840,184, and 4,844,087 by Garg disclose similar devices with a manualvalve that may be closed after withdrawal of the needle assembly.However, none of the previous devices allow for a truly fail-safeoperation, as various valves must be properly set by the operator whenchanging from one drain port to another or when withdrawing theintroducing needle assembly from the patient. Also, care must be takento avoid accidental withdrawal of the introducing needle assembly, as inthe disclosed devices where the needle assembly is not firmly attachedto the remainder of the device. Further, the disclosed valves that allowfor catheter drainage after removal of an introducing needle assemblyrely on a single contact point. Due to the possibly dire consequences ofa valve failure, such valves may not produce acceptably safethoracentesis.

A Verres-type needle assembly that may be used for thoracentesis isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,159 by Turkel. While this reduces therisk of pneumothorax due to lung puncture, the Turkel device does notimprove the safety of thoracentesis when the introducing needle assemblyis withdrawn or solve the problems associated with multiple drainageports. Thus there is a need for a safer and more reliable device thatmay be used for paracentesis and thoracentesis. Another device isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,506 by Freeman, et al., which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Other difficulties with existing systems relate to manufacturing,storing and using the vacuum element. Syringes are sometimes used togenerate the vacuum, but syringes are somewhat complicated tomanufacture and use. An alternative vacuum source is a vacuum bottle. Inthat approach, a vacuum is created in an air-tight bottle at themanufacturing stage, and then the bottle is sealed. The bottle is thentapped at the time of use so that the vacuum can be applied to adrainage line to remove the undesired body fluids.

This is quite elegant in concept but somewhat difficult to implementperfectly in every individual unit. There is always some risk that thevacuum will be lost in transit before use, either by leaks, fractures orjust air permeating through a plastic wall. Moreover, the loss of vacuumis not necessarily apparent to the user; a bottle with a perfect vacuuminside looks no different than a bottle of air, but the drainageefficacy of the unit may be diminished upon loss of vacuum before use orduring use where the vacuum is wasted on pulling in air rather thanexerting drainage effectively from the patient. Another problem is intapping the bottle. This requires a system that pierces a vacuum sealbut does not allow air to enter the bottle, except through the drawline. One such system is described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No.7,048,724 by Grossman et al, which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety.

In known systems utilizing a vacuum bottle, a cap may be provided thatacts as an interface between the bottle and a drainage line. Inpractice, it is typical for the junction of the cap and the bottle to beassembled with the use of an adhesive, such as a silicone adhesive gel.The silicone gel may act both to secure the cap to the bottle and tocreate a fluid seal at the junction.

Systems using a silicone adhesive have achieved positive results.However, silicone gel adhesive typically is expensive and manufacturingexpenses associated with applying a silicone gel remain high. Further,it can be difficult to apply a precise amount of adhesive during theassembly process to achieve consistent securing and sealing that willpatently maintain desired vacuum throughout the device live and usage.Silicone adhesives also typically can only dry and set one time, shortlyafter application, and therefore the system is generally shipped fullyassembled, and it may be difficult to interchange the vacuum bottles atthe medical facility. Further, the use of an suitable amount of adhesiveto form an adequate seal may secure the cap the bottle to a degree suchthat is difficult to remove by a user, thus making it difficult for userthe to remove the cap prior to disposing medical waste collected withinthe bottle.

In light of this background, it would be advantageous to provide animproved system utilizing a container, such as a vacuum bottle,connected to a drainage line that achieves sufficient securing andsealing between the container and cap without the need for the use of anadhesive, that can be removed by a user without undue force for purposesof waste disposal.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one general aspect, the present disclosure provides a drainagesystem. The drainage system may include a container having an interiorand a mouth, the mouth having an outer surface and an opening. Afrangible seal may cover the opening. A cap may be secured to the mouth,and the cap may be in fluid communication with a drainage line. The capmay have an inner surface for engaging with the outer surface of themouth. The drainage system may further include a retention ring with acollar having an inner surface configured to engage an outer surface ofthe cap, where the retention ring includes a bead for at least partiallyconcentrating a restriction force provided by the retention ring on anadjacent area of the outer surface of the cap.

In some embodiments, the outer surface of the mouth includes aprotrusion, where the bead of the retention ring is located distally ofthe protrusion of the mouth. The retention ring may include a tabextending from the collar, the tab having a surface for receiving aremoval force. The collar of the retention ring may include a collarportion having a relatively low bending moment of inertia with respectto adjacent areas of the collar such that the collar portion deforms inresponse to the removal force being received by the tab. The surface ofthe tab of the retention ring may face distally, and the tab of theretention ring may include a rib on its proximal side extending to a lipof the collar. The retention ring may include a prong with a point forincreasing the size of an opening of the frangible seal.

In some embodiments, the drainage system may include a spike with aflange, the spike being configured to pierce the frangible seal inresponse to an initiation force being applied to the flange in a distaldirection The drainage system may further include a safety clip engagedwith the cap and located at least partially between the flange of thespike and the retention ring. The safety clip may include a groove forreceiving at least a portion of the collar of the retention ring.

In another general aspect, the present disclosure provides a retentionring for a drainage system. The retention ring may include a collarhaving an inner surface forming a generally circular opening and a beadextending from the inner surface of the collar. The bead may beconfigured for at least partially concentrating a restriction force onan adjacent area of an outer surface of a cap.

In some embodiments, the retention ring may include a extending from thecollar, where the tab has a surface for receiving a removal force. Thecollar of the retention ring may include a collar portion having arelatively low bending moment of inertia with respect to adjacent areasof the collar such that the collar portion deforms in response to theremoval force being received by the tab. The surface of the tab of theretention ring may face distally, and the tab of the retention ring mayinclude a rib on its proximal side extending to a lip of the collar. Therib may include a gusset. The retention ring may additionally oralternatively include a prong with a point for increasing the size of anopening of a frangible seal. A 3-D printing process may be used to formthe retention ring, and the retention ring may include at least one of apolypropylene material and a nylon material.

In another general aspect, the present disclosure provides a method. Themethod may include piercing a frangible seal with a spike where thefrangible seal covers an opening of a mouth of a container and exposinga drainage line to a vacuum initially contained in an interior of thecontainer. A cap may provide fluid communication between the interior ofthe container and the drainage line, where the cap is engaged with anouter surface of the mouth, where a seal is provided between the outersurface of the mouth and the cap by a compression force, where thecompression force is provided by a collar of a retention ring, thecollar including an inner surface positioned in engagement with an outersurface of the cap, and where the inner surface of the collar includes abead for at least partially concentrating the compression force on anarea of the cap adjacent to the bead.

In some embodiments, the outer surface of the mouth may include aprotrusion, where the bead of the retention ring is located distally ofthe protrusion of the mouth. The method may further include removing theretention ring from engagement with the cap by applying a removal forceto a tab of the retention ring, where the tab of the retention ring iscoupled to the collar of the retention ring, and where a collar portionof the collar bends in response to the application of the removal force.The method may additionally or alternatively include the step ofincreasing the size of an opening of the pierced frangible seal bymanipulating a prong of the retention ring through the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a front cut-out schematic of oneembodiment of a drainage system with a retention ring in accordance withthe present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a side perspective view of a portionof the drainage system with a retention ring.

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a side section view of a portion ofthe drainage system of FIG. 2 about line 3-3.

FIG. 4 is an illustration showing a magnified view of a portion of FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a side view of a portion of thedrainage system to illustrate the relative non-deformed state of certaincomponents.

FIG. 6 is an illustration similar to FIG. 5, but showing the componentsas they may appear as deformed when the retention ring is installed.

FIG. 7 is an illustration similar to FIG. 6, but showing the componentsas they may appear as deformed when the retention ring is installed andthe interior of a cap of the drainage system is exposed to a vacuum.

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing a side section view of the retentionring depicted in FIG. 2 about line 3-3, where the retention ring isdeformed due to a force provided on a tab of the retention ring.

FIG. 9 is an illustration showing a perspective view of a tab of theretention ring of the drainage system.

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing a side view of the retention ring ofthe drainage system.

FIG. 11 is an illustration showing another side perspective view of theretention ring as a prong of the retention ring opens a frangible sealcoupled to a mouth of a container.

FIGS. 12A-D are illustrations showing a side perspective view of thedrainage system incorporating a safety clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are described below with reference to the drawingsin which like elements generally are referred to by like numerals. Therelationship and functioning of the various elements of the embodimentsmay better be understood by reference to the following detaileddescription. However, embodiments are not limited to those illustratedin the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are notnecessarily to scale, and in certain instances details may have beenomitted that are not necessary for an understanding of embodimentsdisclosed herein, such as—for example—conventional fabrication andassembly.

The invention is defined by the claims, may be embodied in manydifferent forms, and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey enabling disclosure to those skilled in the art. As used in thisspecification and the claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Reference herein to any industry standards (e.g., ASTM, ANSI, IEEEstandards) is defined as complying with the currently publishedstandards as of the original filing date of this disclosure concerningthe units, measurements, and testing criteria communicated by thosestandards unless expressly otherwise defined herein. The terms“proximal” and “distal” are used herein in the common usage sense wherethey refer respectively to a handle/doctor-end of a device or relatedobject and a tool/patient-end of a device or related object. The terms“about,” “substantially,” “generally,” and other terms of degree, whenused with reference to any volume, dimension, proportion, or otherquantitative or qualitative value, are intended to communicate adefinite and identifiable value within the standard parameters thatwould be understood by one of skill in the art (equivalent to a medicaldevice engineer with experience in this field), and should beinterpreted to include at least any legal equivalents, minor butfunctionally-insignificant variants, standard manufacturing tolerances,and including at least mathematically significant figures (although notrequired to be as broad as the largest range thereof).

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a front cut-out schematic of oneembodiment of a drainage system 100. Referring to FIG. 1, the drainagesystem 100 may include a container 102, which may be a bottle or avacuum bottle (or other suitable container). The container 102 may havea mouth 104 with an outer surface 106 and an opening 108 at its proximalend 110. The opening 108 may lead to an interior 112 of the container102. During a drainage procedure, a cap 114 may cover the opening 108 ofthe mouth 104 and may lead to a drainage line 116. The cap 114 may havea sleeve 118 at its upper (distal) end and a widened body 120 at itslower (proximal) end. The sleeve 118 of the cap 114 may receive a spike122 in a manner such that a substantially air-tight seal is formedbetween the exterior surface of spike 122 and a lumen 124 of sleeve 118.

The lower end of spike 122 may terminate at a point 134. The upper endof spike 122 may receive the drainage line 116. Like the connectionbetween spike 122 and the sleeve 118 of the elastomeric cap 114, theconnection between spike 122 and drainage line 116 is preferablysubstantially air-tight. The spike 122 may also include acircumferential flange 132 to assist in manipulating the spike 122 inrelation to container 102 in the manner described below. A lumen 138 mayextend through spike 122 such that a lumen 126 of the drainage line 116can communicate with the container 102 during a drainage procedure.

A frangible seal 128 may cover the opening 108 of the mouth 104 prior toinitiation of the drainage procedure. Prior to being pierced, thefrangible seal 128 may seal the interior 112 of the container 102 fromthe external environment 130. More particularly, the frangible seal 128may be constructed of foil, mylar, or other substantially air-tightmaterial to prevent air or other fluid from leaking into the interior112 of the container 102 to spoil a pressure differential (e.g., arelative vacuum) between the interior 112 and the external environment.In some embodiments, the pressure differential may be at least 10 psi(e.g., 13 psi), but other pressure differentials are also contemplated.The frangible seal 128 may be attached to the mouth 104 via heat-sealing(as in, for example, direct heat, induction heat or vibration generatedheating processes), by gluing or using another adhesive, and/or by anyother suitable method.

The drainage system 100 may be packaged and shipped as an assembly thatincludes the container 102 with the interior 112 sealed by the frangibleseal 128. When packaged and shipped (or otherwise transported), theinterior 112 of the container 102 is preferably pre-loaded with a vacuum(and herein, a “vacuum” may refer to an environment with relatively lowpressure with respect to an external environment, but “vacuum” does notnecessarily require the space to be entirely devoid of matter). It isalso contemplated that the vacuum may be loaded by the patient (e.g., byhooking the container 102 to a vacuum pump).

To perform a drainage procedure, the distal end (not shown) of thedrainage line 116 may be attached to a collection device that is atleast partially placed into a target space in the body of a patient. Forexample, the collection device (not shown) may include a catheter thatcan be placed in the pleural space of the patient to remove excesspleural fluid via a needle within the body of the patient. Once thedrainage line 116 is appropriately coupled to the collection device, thespike 122 may be pushed towards the container 102 by applying a downward(distal-facing) force to the flange 132. This force may deform the cap114, and particularly the widened body 120 of the cap 114 in thedepicted embodiment, such that the spike 122 moves distally and suchthat the point 134 of the spike 122 pierces the frangible seal 128. Whenthe frangible seal 128 is pierced, the vacuum loaded within the interior112 of the container 102 may communicate with the drainage line 116 todraw fluid (including gasses and liquids) from the target space of thepatient body and/or the collection device, through the drainage line116, and ultimately into the interior 112 of the container 102.

It may be important to be able to verify at a glance that the vacuum inthe interior 112 of the container 102 is intact to ensure suitableoperation. In some embodiments, this can be accomplished throughrecognition of deformation of the cap 114 (which, as stated above, maybe formed of an elastomeric material). In its default position (i.e.,when not exposed to the vacuum), the cap 114 may appear substantiallydifferent than it may appear when exposed to the vacuum of the interior112. For example, when exposed to the vacuum, the widened body 120 ofthe cap 114 may at least partially collapse. This partial collapse willthus be apparent to the user and will verify the existence of thevacuum. The state of the cap 114 may further indicate the state of thevacuum as the drainage procedure continues, and the cap 114 may indicatethat the vacuum has been exhausted when it returns fully to its defaultstate.

Optionally, the cap 114 may be secured to the container 102 via asilicone adhesive, and/or an O-ring may be located between the cap 114and the underlying mouth 104 of the container 102 to ensure a suitableseal. Embodiments utilizing an adhesive and embodiments with an O-ringare described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/788,198,filed Jun. 30, 2015, and published Jan. 5, 2017, which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety. Additionally or alternatively,retention ring 140 (which may also be referred to as a retaining ring)may be included to facilitate securement of the cap 114 to the container102. The retention ring 140 may be formed integrally (e.g., by injectionmolding, 3D printing, or another suitable method), and may be formed ofany suitable material. In certain non-limiting exemplary embodiments,the retention ring 140 may be formed of a polypropylene material or anylon.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a side perspective view of a portionof the drainage system 100. As shown, the retention ring 140 may have acollar 142 that circumferentially engages an outer surface 144 of thecap 114, thereby squeezing or otherwise providing a constricting forceto retain the cap 114 in engagement with the mouth 104 of the container102. This constriction provided by the retention ring 140 may compressthe elastomeric material of the cap 114 against the mouth 104 of thecontainer 102, thus providing a seal. The retention ring 140 may beinstalled (i.e., manipulated into its position around the cap 114 andmouth 104 as shown in FIG. 2) by a user prior to a drainage procedurewhen attaching the cap 114 to the container 102, or the retention ring140 may be installed prior to packaging and shipping of the drainagesystem 100.

FIG. 3 shows a side section view of a portion of the drainage system 100of FIG. 2 about line 3-3, and FIG. 4 shows a magnified view of a portionof FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3-4, and as described above, the collar 142of the retention ring 140 may circumferentially engage the cap 114. Thecollar 142 of the retention ring 140 may be sized such that it providesa constriction force on the outer surface 144 of the cap 114 when thecap 114 is located over the mouth 104 of the container 102. For example,the retention ring 140 may include the collar 142 with an inner diameterthat is slightly larger than an outer diameter defined by the outersurface 106 of the mouth 104. The cap 114 may have a default thickness148 (e.g., a thickness when not deformed by the retention ring 140). Inone non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the default thickness may beabout 0.075 inches in at least some locations, but other suitabledimensions are also contemplated (e.g., the default thickness may bebetween about 0.010 inches and about 0.150 inches, such as between about0.060 inches and about 0.080 inches). Adjacent to where the retentionring 140 engages the cap 114 during a drainage procedure, the cap 114may be compressed such that the thickness at the area where theretention ring 140 engages the cap 114 is smaller than the cap's defaultthickness. The compression between the outer surface 106 of the mouth104 and the collar 142 of the retention ring 140 may create or enhance aseal between the cap 114 and the mouth 104. This seal may retain theabove-described pressure differential between the interior 112 of thecontainer 102 and the external environment 130 and also may preventleakage of fluid during drainage.

As depicted in FIG. 4, the retention ring 140 may include a bead 150located on an inner surface 152 of the collar 142 of the retention ring140, where the inner surface 152 defines the inner diameter of thecollar 142. While only one bead 150 is shown in the present figure, morethan one bead may be included. The bead 150 may have an apex 153, whichmay be closer to an axis 154 through the center of the collar 142 of theretention ring 140 relative to adjacent areas of the inner surface 152.While any suitable dimensions are contemplated, the bead 150 may be anarc with a diameter of about 0.052 inches, and the apex 153 may be about0.575 inches from the center of the collar 142 at its closest point. Theapex 153 of the bead 150 may be formed integrally with the remainder ofthe retention ring 140 (e.g., through a common injection moldingprocess, 3D printing process, or other suitable process), or it may beinstalled after formation of the remainder of the retention ring 140.The apex 153 may be advantageous for concentrating the above-describedconstriction force on a relatively small area of the cap 114 when theretention ring 140 is engaged with the cap 114 around the mouth 104 ofthe container 102, as shown in FIG. 4. The resulting deformation of therelatively small area receiving a high proportion of the constrictingforce may provide an enhanced seal between the mouth 104 and the cap 114with respect to other embodiments. In exemplary embodiments, theconstriction force may provide at least 50 psi of contact pressurebetween the cap 114 and the mouth 104 adjacent to the apex 153 aroundthe entirety of the mouth 104, and the contact pressure may besignificantly higher in certain locations. Further, the concentration ofthe contraction force may provide enhanced ability to retain the sealbetween the mouth 104 and the cap 114 over relatively long period oftime (e.g., 2 years or more), which is advantageous for supply-chainefficiency due to the ability to store the system for a relatively longtime period prior to use.

Optionally, as shown FIG. 4, the mouth 104 of the container 102 mayinclude a protrusion 156 around the outer diameter defined by the outersurface 106 of the mouth 104. The protrusion 156 may have dimensionssimilar to the bead 150 with respect to the outer surface 106 of themouth 104, but this is not required. The protrusion 156 may be locatedjust proximal (above) the bead 150 of the retention ring 140 when theretention ring 140 is installed, but other locations are alsocontemplated. Like the bead 150, the protrusion 156 may be advantageousfor concentrating compression at a relatively small area of the cap 114to provide an enhanced seal. Additionally or alternatively, theprotrusion 156 may retain the retention ring 140 in place by preventingdistal-to-proximal movement of the retention ring 140 relative to themouth 104 when the retention ring 140 is installed around the cap 114and mouth 104. In some embodiments, the cap 114 may also (oralternatively) include a protrusion 156 and/or a channel for receivingthe bead 150 to facilitate suitable positioning of the retention ring140 with respect to the cap 114.

The protrusion 156 and/or the bead 150 may be rounded or otherwiseshaped such that, when a force is applied to the retention ring 140 toinstall the retention ring 140 around the mouth 104 or remove theretention ring 140, at least one of the mouth 104 and the retention ring140 slightly deforms to allow passage of the bead 150 beyond theprotrusion. In exemplary embodiments, the retention ring 140 may be moreeasily deformed than the mouth 104. As shown in FIG. 3, the protrusion156 and/or the bead 150 may be positioned on their respective elementssuch that, when installed, the retention ring 140 is forced into aposition such that it contacts a shoulder 158 of the container 102and/or a lip 146 of the cap 114. As a result, the retention ring 140 maybe substantially fixed in place with respect to the mouth 104 and cap114 when installed (absent a removal force).

FIGS. 5-7 are figures showing a portion of the drainage system 100 tofurther illustrate the respective fits of the cap 114 around the mouth104 and the retention ring 140 around the cap 114. FIG. 5 shows the cap114 as it may appear relative to the mouth 104 and the retention ring140 when the cap 114 is not deformed. As shown, the protrusion 156 andthe bead 150 may extend into the default path of the cap 114. As aresult of this feature, the cap 114 may be forced to deform when the cap114 is installed around the mouth 104 and/or the retention ring 140 isinstalled around the cap 114 as shown in FIG. 6. A bead gap, which maybe defined as the shortest distance between the protrusion 156 and thebead 150 in the horizontal direction of FIG. 6, may be approximately0.036 inches. As described above (with reference to FIG. 4), thedimensions and orientation of the protrusion 156, the bead 150, and theremainders of the mouth 104 and retention ring 140 may cause thematerial of the cap 114 to compress, thereby enhancing the seal. Inother words, the above-described bead gap may be smaller than thedefault thickness of the cap 114 (see FIG. 4). In some embodiments, thecap 114 may compress to about 20% to about 80% of its default thickness(e.g., about 50%) when the retention ring 140 is engaged. FIG. 7 issimilar to FIG. 5, but shows the above-described elements as they mayappear when the interior of the cap 114 is exposed to the vacuumprovided by the interior 112 of the container 102. The cap 114 may beformed of a material that is relatively compliant or otherwisecompressible. In some non-limiting examples, the cap 114 may besubstantially formed by Mediprene™ 500700M-02 supplied by HEXPOL TPE orSantoprene™ 8281-65MED supplied by ExxonMobile.

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing a side section view of the retentionring 140, where the retention ring is deformed due to a force providedon a tab 160 of the retention ring 140. The tab 160 may be integrallyformed (e.g., injection molded) with the remainder of the retention ring140. The tab 160 may include a surface 162 facing approximatelydistally, where the surface 162 is configured to receive a removal forceprovided by a user (e.g., through contact and pressure with a finger onthe surface 162, for example). As shown, the surface 162 may optionallyinclude grip elements 163 for suitable friction/grip with a finger orhand of a user. Optionally, the tab 160 may include an extension 161that is configured to abut the shoulder 158 of the container 102 whenthe retention ring 140 is installed. In some embodiments, the shoulder158 may be spaced from the extension 161 unless a downward force isprovided on the tab 160, thus engaging the extension 161 with theshoulder 158. Advantageously, when a downward force is provided (e.g.,inadvertently), the extension 161 may transfer the force to the shoulder158 to prevent the retention ring 140 from deforming to a degree suchthat it is inadvertently removed from its engaged state.

As depicted, when a sufficient force (such as the depicted removal force164) is provided, the retention ring 140 may deform. As described inmore detail below (with reference to FIG. 8), a rim portion of theretention ring 140 may be more easily deformed than other portions ofthe retention ring 140 such that the retention ring 140 deforms in aparticular manner such that it manipulates itself out of engagement withthe mouth 104 when the removal force 164 is provided. Optionally, theretention ring 140 may include a lip 166 on the proximal side of thecollar 142. In some embodiments, the lip 166 may taper outwards suchthat it is not snug with the mouth 104. In other embodiments, the lip166 may be flush with the mouth 104. Additionally or alternatively, thelip 166 may be configured to engage with a proximal end 110 of the mouth104 (e.g., through the thickness of the cap 114) when the removal force164 is applied such that the lip 166 pivot around the mouth 104 andpresses into the cap 114. The partial collapse of the cap 114 due tothis pressure may enhance the ability of the retention ring 140 toremove the cap 114 and/or may reduce the minimum remove force 164sufficient for cap removal. The pivot of the lip 166 may additionally oralternatively cause the lip 166 to press distally against the proximalend 110 of the mouth 104 (e.g., through the compliant material of thecap 114), thereby facilitating proximal removal of the retention ring140 from the mouth 104. In other words, a lever-like effect of the lip166 pressing against the mouth 104 and/or the outer surface 144 of thecap 114 may assist in deforming the retention ring 140 such that thebead 150 can pass the protrusion 156 of the mouth 104 of the container102. In some exemplary embodiments, a removal force of between about 2pounds and 16 pounds may be sufficient to remove the retention ring 140,such as about 7.8 pounds at nominal conditions. This force required forremoval may vary depending on the specific dimensions of the cap 114,retention ring 140, and mouth 104, as well as the materials formingthese elements and the friction coefficient between said elements. Theretention ring 140 may be designed such that different removal forcesare adequate in other embodiments, and it is contemplated that theminimum force for removing the retention ring 140 may change as thedrainage system ages.

Only one tab 160 is depicted in FIG. 8, but more than one tab 160 may beincluded. For example, it may be advantageous to provide a tab 160 onopposite sides of the collar 142 of the retention ring 140 such that auser can provide removal forces on the respective opposite sides of thecollar 142. It is further contemplated that the tab 160 may include asurface on its proximal side and related elements (e.g., elements toprovide a lever-like effect) configured to receive an installation forceby a user or other person when installing the retention ring 140 aroundthe mouth 104 and/or cap 114.

Referring to FIG. 9, which is an illustration showing a perspective viewof the retention ring 140, the proximal side of the tab 160 mayoptionally include structural ribs 170 and/or other structural featuressuch that the tab 160 is relatively stiff (at least when compared toportions of the collar 142). The ribs 170 may in particular providestiffness to the tab 160 such that when the tab 160 receives a force,the force is primarily transferred through the ribs 170 to the collar142 of the retention ring 140 without substantially deforming the tab160 and thus enhancing the ability of the retention ring 140 to focusthe deformation of the retention ring 140 at a certain location of thecollar 142. The ribs 170 may include gussets 173 extending to the lip166 of the collar 142 to further transfer the force in a desired mannerand to increase the force required to initiate undesirable buckling ofthe tab 160. In certain non-limiting exemplary embodiments, the ribs 170may be approximately 0.050 inches in thickness, which may be an optimalthickness for providing adequate strength without unduly increasingcomponent cost or decreasing manufacturing efficiency.

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing a side view of the retention ring140. As shown in FIGS. 9-10, the collar 142 of the retention ring 140may include one or more bendable collar portions 172 that are relativelydeformable with respect to other portions of the retention ring 140,such as the remainder of the collar 142, the tab 160, etc. The bendablecollar portions 172 may have relatively small cross-sectional dimensionswith respect to the remainder of the collar 142 such that, whensubjected to a force, the collar 142 tends to deform primarily at thebendable collar portions 172. While any suitable dimensions arecontemplated, in some embodiments, the bendable collar portions 172 mayinclude a cutout 174 located at least in the lip 166 and that is shapedas an arc with a radius of approximately 1 inch. If the cutout 174 is inthe shape of an arc, the edges of the bead 150 (shown in FIG. 9) mayoptionally be approximately tangent to the arc of the cutout 174. Thesedimensions may be optimal for certain applications by maximizing theflexibility of the collar 142 at the bendable collar portions 172without interrupting the function(s) of the bead 150. The cutout 174 mayreduce the bending moment of inertia during removal of the collar 142 tothereby reduce the load required to remove the retention ring 140.

Referring to FIG. 10, the retention ring 140 may include a prong 176.The prong 176 may be configured to open the frangible seal 128 bypiercing the frangible seal 128 (see FIG. 1) with a spike or point 178.As described above, the frangible seal 128 may initially be pierced by aspike 122 (shown in FIG. 1) during a drainage procedure. However, whenit is desirable to drain the container 102 after the drainage procedure,the piercing of the frangible seal 128 may not have a sufficient openingfor efficient removal of fluid or solid medical waste from the container102 after a drainage procedure. Further, in embodiments where it isadvantageous to add a solidifier to fluid waste within the container 102prior to disposal, a relatively large opening (e.g., larger than usedduring drainage) may be advantageous for simplifying the deployment ofthe solidifier without the use of a funnel, for example. Thus, thepresent embodiments may be advantageous because after the drainageprocedure, a user (e.g., a patient) may remove the retention ring 140from the mouth 104 (as described above) and then use the prong 176 ofthe retention ring 140 to further open the frangible seal 128 such thatits opening is sufficient for drainage. Thus, at least the point 178 ofthe prong 176 may be sized, shaped, and/or otherwise configured toincrease the size of the opening in the frangible seal 128 throughmanipulation of an edge 180 of the prong 176 through the frangible seal128 by a user. The prong 176 may be relatively rigid when compared tothe frangible seal 128. FIG. 11 shows the prong 176 when used toincrease the opening of a frangible seal at the mouth 104 of thecontainer 102.

As shown in FIGS. 12A-D, the drainage system 100 may include a safetyclip 182 that fits around the cap 114. When the drainage system 100 isinitially assembled, the safety clip 182 engaged with the cap 114 suchthat it is located around the cap 114 and between the flange 132 of thespike 122 and the container 102. The safety clip 182, when engaged, mayprevent the spike 122 from moving distally and puncturing the frangibleseal 128 prematurely. As shown in FIG. 12D, the safety clip 182 mayinclude a groove 184 that is configured (e.g., sized and shaped) to fitaround at least a portion of the collar 142 of the retention ring 140.The engagement between the groove 184 and the retention ring 140 mayretain the safety clip 182 in place by preventing its motion in thedistal and/or proximal direction. Further, when groove 184 is sized andshaped to fit around at least one of the relatively narrow rim portions172 (which may incorporate a curve, as described above), the size of thegroove 184 with respect to the curve of the rim portions 172 may preventrotation of the safety clip 182. The safety clip 182 may be removed by auser by pulling on a handle 186, and the drainage procedure may beinitiated through movement of the spike 122 when the safety clip 182 isremoved (e.g., to pierce a frangible seal as described above). While notshown, it is contemplated that the safety clip 182 may have a prongsimilar or identical to the prong 176 of the retention ring 140 (e.g.,as an alternative to including the prong 176 of the retention ring 140).In some embodiments, the extension holding the groove 184 (or anotherextension) may be configured (sized and shaped) such that it can be usedto engage the retention ring 140 when the retention ring 140 is beingremoved, thereby providing a user with a tool to assist in removal ofthe retention ring 140 from its engaged state. Additionally oralternatively, the safety clip 182 may include a visual indicator (e.g.,a molded arrow) depicting the direction that a user must pull to removethe safety clip 182 from the cap 114, thus providing instructions to auser for initiation of a drainage procedure.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments not expresslyillustrated herein may be practiced within the scope of the claims,including that features described herein for different embodiments maybe combined with each other and/or with currently-known orfuture-developed technologies while remaining within the scope of theclaims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in ageneric and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitationunless specifically defined by context, usage, or other explicitdesignation. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detaileddescription be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting. And, itshould be understood that the following claims, including allequivalents, are intended to define the spirit and scope of thisinvention. Furthermore, the advantages described above are notnecessarily the only advantages of the invention, and it is notnecessarily expected that all of the described advantages will beachieved with every embodiment. In the event of any inconsistentdisclosure or definition from the present application conflicting withany document incorporated by reference, the disclosure or definitionherein shall be deemed to prevail.

We claim:
 1. A drainage system, the drainage system comprising: acontainer having an interior and a mouth, the mouth having an outersurface and an opening; a frangible seal covering the opening; a capsecured to the mouth and in fluid communication with a drainage line,the cap having an inner surface for engaging the outer surface of themouth; and a retention ring with a collar having an inner surfaceconfigured to engage an outer surface of the cap, wherein the retentionring includes a bead for at least partially concentrating a restrictionforce provided by the retention ring on an adjacent area of the outersurface of the cap.
 2. The drainage system of claim 1, wherein the outersurface of the mouth includes a protrusion, and wherein the bead of theretention ring is located distally of the protrusion of the mouth. 3.The drainage system of claim 1, wherein the retention ring includes atab extending from the collar, the tab having a surface for receiving aremoval force.
 4. The drainage system of claim 3, wherein the collar ofthe retention ring includes a collar portion having a relatively lowbending moment of inertia with respect to adjacent areas of the collarsuch that the collar portion deforms in response to the removal forcebeing received by the tab.
 5. The drainage system of claim 3, whereinthe surface of the tab of the retention ring faces distally, and whereinthe tab of the retention ring includes a rib on its proximal sideextending to a lip of the collar.
 6. The drainage system of claim 1,wherein the retention ring includes a prong with a point for increasingthe size of an opening of the frangible seal.
 7. The drainage system ofclaim 1, further comprising: a spike with a flange, the spike beingconfigured to pierce the frangible seal in response to an initiationforce being applied to the flange in a distal direction; and a safetyclip engaged with the cap and located at least partially between theflange of the spike and the retention ring.
 8. The drainage system ofclaim 7, wherein the safety clip includes a groove for receiving atleast a portion of the collar of the retention ring.
 9. A retention ringfor a drainage system, the retention ring comprising: a collar having aninner surface forming a generally circular opening; a bead extendingfrom the inner surface of the collar, the bead being configured for atleast partially concentrating a restriction force on an adjacent area ofan outer surface of a cap.
 10. The retention ring of claim 9, furthercomprising a tab extending from the collar, the tab having a surface forreceiving a removal force.
 11. The retention ring of claim 10, whereinthe collar of the retention ring includes a collar portion having arelatively low bending moment of inertia with respect to adjacent areasof the collar such that the collar portion deforms in response to theremoval force being received by the tab.
 12. The retention ring of claim10, wherein the surface of the tab of the retention ring faces distally,and wherein the tab of the retention ring includes a rib on its proximalside extending to a lip of the collar.
 13. The retention ring of claim12, wherein the rib includes a gusset extending to the rib.
 14. Theretention ring of claim 9, wherein the retention ring includes a prongwith a point for increasing the size of an opening of a frangible seal.15. The retention ring of claim 9, wherein the retention ring issubstantially formed through a 3-D printing process.
 16. The retentionring of claim 9, wherein the retention ring includes at least one of apolypropylene material and a nylon material.
 17. A method, the methodcomprising the steps of: piercing a frangible seal with a spike, whereinthe frangible seal covers an opening of a mouth of a container; andexposing a drainage line to a vacuum initially contained in an interiorof the container, wherein a cap provides fluid communication between theinterior of the container and the drainage line, wherein the cap isengaged with an outer surface of the mouth, wherein a seal is providedbetween the outer surface of the mouth and the cap by a compressionforce, wherein the compression force is provided by a collar of aretention ring, the collar including an inner surface positioned inengagement with an outer surface of the cap, and wherein the innersurface of the collar includes a bead for at least partiallyconcentrating the compression force on an area of the cap adjacent tothe bead.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the outer surface of themouth includes a protrusion, and wherein the bead of the retention ringis located distally of the protrusion of the mouth.
 19. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising: removing the retention ring fromengagement with the cap by applying a removal force to a tab of theretention ring, wherein the tab of the retention ring is coupled to thecollar of the retention ring, and wherein a collar portion of the collarbends in response to the application of the removal force.
 20. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising increasing the size of an openingof the pierced frangible seal by manipulating a prong of the retentionring through the opening.